Happy Halloween!

Staying busy...

I may be walking a bit funny but I have no pain in my leg and I am really happy about that. Haven't felt pain for the past week so the healing process is going very well. Just a slight limp due to sore and weak quad muscles but it is a great conversation starter! I got back in the pool pretty quickly after Kona but it took a week and a half to get back on my bike. Now that I can ride again, I am feeling super excited for next season. So many goals and races to think about! Saturday morning I rode just a bit and as I mentioned in the last blog, it felt great to be outside in comfortable florida weather. Karel did his own thing on Saturday morning but the weather wasn't so kind to him. He got a little rain during his ride. In the evening, Karel and I went to the movies (something we rarely do) and we saw Dan In Real Life. This was the cutest movie I have ever seen! If you are a girl, single parent, wife and/or mother you have to see this movie! And for my guy friends, it is really funny. Karel even said he enjoyed it. What a great movie! I really recommend seeing it....or if you are like me and don't really enjoy going out to the movies, rent the movie as soon as it comes out!
On Sunday morning Karel joined some Gearlinkers for the Publix ride and once again I went on my bike for a little spin. I forgot that the Dunedin Blue Moon 5K and half marathon was going on that morning and I saw a lot of familiar faces as I was riding. The race was on the pinellas trail and there was a good number of people racing. Since I started before the race had begun I didn't get in the way of any runners. I rode home on the street after my grueling 16 mile, 1 hour ride (hehe) and cheered for people as I was riding. I couldn't help to smile at myself when I could recognize familiar faces 50 yards away from me. I just love watching people race!
After breakfast it was time for cleaning. BOO! Unfortunantly, with two athletes in the house our cat is the only thing that doesn't get neglected. As far as our place, it was getting a little messy. Karel came home around mid-morning and we spent a couple hours making the place spottless. Although it smells clean (it didn't smell bad before I promise!) I can't really tell a difference. Oh well-we cleaned and we have lots of dirty rags and trash to show for it.
After we cleaned we ordered a pay-per-view movie. Even though we get the HBO channels, there was a recommendation for a movie that Karel really wanted to see. Once he told me it was about cycling I told him we had to watch it. I don't know who is luckier...karel who has someone to watch cycling with or me who has someone who enjoys watching cycling (swimming and running) with me. Well, I think we both are pretty lucky. The movie is called the Flying Scostman. Here is the link http://www.mgm.com/sites/theflyingscotsman/ The movie is about Graem Obree who broke the velodrome record a while back. The amazing part of his story is his drive and determination to break the record on a bike that he built by himself. I recommend this movie to anyone who is about to do a race (IMFL peps!) or to anyone who needs an inspirational movie. I really enjoyed the movie plot but since it was based on a true story, Karel knew the names of the people in the movie and he had to keep explaining everyone to me. I sure learned a lot!
After the movie we straightened up our place a bit more and decided to go get pumkins to carve. Instead of driving a few miles, we got on our bikes and rode to the pumpkin patch in dunedin. I think both Karel and I felt like little kids with our backpacks on as we were riding our bikes. Searching for the right pumpkin made me feel even younger but the real trick was riding back with a big pumpkin on my back! It was a great day. After a little more of doing nothing that evening I was sad to say good-bye to the weekend.
It is now Monday and I am finding myself busy again....but I love it! I've been getting more and more nutrition consultations and trying to keep up on projects for beginner triathlete. Seeing that the off-season presents an opportunity for unwanted weight gain due to less training volume, I am semi-happy that triathletes need me to help them with their off-season nutrition.
Well, back to my long list of things to do..just thought I'd let everyone know what movies I watched this weekend..instead of working on my list of things to do... :(

Off-Season and time to exercise

I've been waiting for the off-season for a while. I had a slight dose of my off-season lifestyle when I was injured prior to kona but now I am fully enjoying my time off from training. Although I haven't made my decision if I will participate in the 70.3 World Championships in a couple weeks, I am taking it easy to completely heal my right leg. Still have a limp but I after only 2 weeks since the Ironman I am healing quicker than I expected. My post-kona "can't walk, stand, sit or crawl without pain" has turned into a slight sorenss in my quad. I'm sure I pulled a muscle since I ran the marathon of an Ironman after no running for 35 days, but taking some time off from training has really hurried the healing process. I guess I should have taken some time off before Kona to completely rest my leg, but as a competitive (and stubborn) athlete I had a hard time thinking I would go to a world championship race after not training for weeks. Well, even though I finished the race I have learned that 1-2 weeks of no training is far better than 5-6 weeks of trying to heal an injury while the swim and bike training hasn't stopped.
As a sports nutritionist and USAT coach I come across a lot of the same questions during the racing season. But in the off-season, two questions come to mind. The first question is off-season nutrition and what to eat to not gain weight. Since I am about to write an article on that topic for Beginner Triathlete I will wait to talk about that question in a future post.The second question concerns getting the motivation to train in the off-season with the fear of gaining weight. Once you have your last race the off-season has officially started. Most triathletes treat themselves to treats which were restricted during the last few weeks of the peak training season. For me, I enjoy pancakes for at least two meals a day at least once during the week after an Ironman. YUMM!!!! Whether it is pizza, alcoholic drinks (within reason), a burger (vegetarian for my non-carnivore friends), something fried and salty or something sweet, everyone should indulge in something during the first week in the off-season. But to fully enjoy your off-season, you have to learn to eat like a sedentary/low-frequency exerciser. You can't eat like an athlete anymore! You must cut back your daily calories and eat plenty of snacks and small meals. You shouldn't have to cut back on too many calories because you will cut out the pre, during and post training calories which allowed you to get through weekly workouts with high energy and a quick recovery time. Sadly, you can't use the excuse "I burned it off in training" when grabbing a handful of Halloween candy, indulging in a thanksgiving feast (sorry- a turkey trot 5K doesn't work in your favor!) or eating your families holiday cookies. Even if you plan on increasing the frequency of your workouts in a couple weeks, the duration of your workouts will stay low (there's nothing wrong with 1-2 long workouts to work on fat-burning and to enjoy the outdoors). Furthermore, the intensity in the off-season is low and there is no need to worry about bonking or working beyond a threshold. Therefore, not having enough fuel for your workouts shouldn't be a concern when planning your meals and snacks. If you are thinking of training for a marathon (or half) or winter event, your training should help to maintain your weight. As for those who enjoy the off-season for a time to catch up with friends and family (who seem to get neglected during the racing season but love us because they are so supportive!), catch up on work or just a time to clear the mind (which I am doing for the next couple of weeks!). I'd like to talk about exercise. I love to exercise! Now don't get me wrong, I love to train during the season but I love having no structure, plan or time commitments to my workouts. I start when I want and I stop when I feel like it. I have no method to my training and I just exercise. An easy way to maintain your weight (or lose weight) during the off-season is to exercise in order to increase your caloric expenditure while cutting back on daily calories. Believe me-it is a lot easier to lose weight in the off-season because you don't experience the cravings and extreme daily hunger for exercise. I have swam 5 times since Kona and I rode my bike for the first time this morning. Of course I have been smart by resting and letting my body heal but I feel no guilt with doing almost nothing in the past two weeks because I am eating within reason. I can lay on the couch in the evening, I can sleep in until 7am and I can feel great about my choice (or no choice) of exercise for the day. Remember that the off-season is a time to exercise and to enjoy swimming, biking, running or whatever it is you choose to do to stay healthy. Working out in the mornings is an easy way to get your workout in so that your day doesn't get too busy that you feel too tired to train. Be sure you watch what you eat so that your blood sugar doesn't fluctuate during the day. Whole grains, fruits and veggies and lots of complete proteins...you've read the articles so it's up to you to be accountable of what you put in your mouth. Remember, the off-season is a time to be off of what you normally do and enjoy something that you wouldn't normally do. Even if you choose to "exercise" for triathlons, take off the heart rate monitor, ride a road bike, swim for time and not yards and start increasing your strength training. If you could see how happy I am right now (not talking about my Kona finish) I am totally enjoying just doing whatever I want. I'm so over the Ironman training..Can you imagine that I, Marni the Ironman lover, would say that! My pace on my road bike this morning didn't even reach 15 mph but I felt so young and free just riding my bike around Clearwater. Of course I was loving my cute pink Hammer cycling jersey and shorts...gotta look good out when I see all my cycling/triathlon buddies..who are still training! Forget the planned workouts, workout with a friend who has never done a triathlon (I'm still working on Karel!) and have some fun as a pseudo-triathlete! Enjoy your day....as I contemplate if I should make some pancakes????

Tips for Triathletes

One thing I love to do is volunteer for triathlons. I think I worked registration at almost every sprint race I did this summer. I love meeting new athletes and I love seeing my friends in the tri-community. I love it when newbies are scared to death for the next day's race and I love when newbies are super excited for their first triathlon experience. I just love it all from registration to the finish line. Enough was enough for feeling lazy so I contacted the Longleaf Triathlon Race Director on saturday morning and asked if I could work the USAT table at registration that afternoon. I didn't hear from the RD until later that evening so I jumped on the opportunity to work registration on race day morning. After a nice pizza dinner with Karel (pasta for him, yummy pizza for me) we watched a movie and called it a night. Early sunday morning we both got up to get the coffee going cause we both had places to be super early. I was working registration at 6am for the triathlon and Karel was participating in the Hilly 100 cycling event in San Antonio, Florida. In order for us to spend a little time together, he dropped me off at the triathlon on his way to the cycling event. What teamwork! I worked the USAT booth at the triathlon from 6 until 7:45am and headed over to the swim start. As I slowly limped my way to the swim start I was happy that I was on the other side of the transition area in order to watch the race. I ran into a bunch of people I knew and I totally enjoyed just watching the race. My parents live no more than 4 miles away from the triathlon venue so my dad picked me up and I spent the day with my parents until Karel returned from the cycling event to pick me up.
Seeing that I compete more than I spectate I rarely have the opportunity to see what other athletes are doing during the race. I thought I would take some time and offer some tips for common triathlon newbie mistakes.
1) Nutrition - Be sure you don't over do it for nutrition for a sprint distance triathlon. 1 water bottle of sport drink on the bike will do the trick and rely on one or two aid stations for water to be used for cooling. No gels, bars or fuel belts are needed.
2) Transitions - This isn't an Ironman! You only need a few things for a sprint triathlon. Aside from the obvious (running shoes, bike, helmet and goggles) don't forget shoes for cycling, sunglasses for the bike and run and your cap which is usually provided in your race packet. I use to wear a visor for the run but I found I was losing a bit of time to put on the visor and with the sunglasses I really didn't need a visor for such a short run. The visor/hat is up to you, but i do think it makes a cute accessory to your race outfit. Don't forget lace locks for the shoes and a race belt for your number. Most of all-be sure your bar ends have plugs in them!
3) Gearing - More importantly than knowing how to shift your gears is knowing when to shift your gears. Be sure that you always keep a steady cadence regardless if you are going up or downhill or on a flat. The big Chain ring works best on flat courses but be sure you aren't in the heaviest gear. Small chain ring for big climbs. Your left gear shifter will change you from the big to small chain ring. YOu will find that you will spend most of your time changing the right gear shifter. Just be sure you aren't pedaling your legs off. Find a gear which you can apply some power to those pedals.
4) Clothing - I can't say it enough "if you look good you race fast". But please don't take this to mean a skimpy bikini to wear during the entire triathlon. Wear something which you feel comfortable in during the entire triathlon. Many people prefer bathing suits/sport tops and bottoms. I like one-piece trisuits from zoot. When searching for racing clothes, look for "triathlon" clothing and not cycling clothes. You want to avoid the padded cycling shorts for a sprint triathlon as well as loose cycling jersey's. Find a good triathlon clothing company (such as zoot) and spend a little money on several racing outfits.
5) Enjoying the post-race activities - I find that the competitive athletes who don't get awards seem to bail out before the awards ceremony. You don't have to stay for the entire ceremony but spend some time at the post-race function and meet some other athletes. Not only will you have an opportunity to eat lots of yummy food but you can enjoy the accomplishment of your race with hundreds of other athletes. And even if you don't do well, find a newbie and congratulate him/her on becoming a member of the triathlon world. The best thing about racing a lot is running into the same people at races. Knowing people at races is one of the best relaxers and mood-lifters for a triathlon.
6) Courses - Know the course map. The first couple triathlons were scary for me because I had no idea where I was going for the swim, bike and run. I just followed the many people ahead of me. Once I started racing Elite and participating in endurance events I realized that I can't always rely on the person ahead of me cause their may be times when there is no one ahead of you. While cops and volunteers usually do an excellent job of keeping you on the course, you can tremendously improve your racing time if you know where you are going. In addition to viewing the course map, check out the terrain of the course. Will you be climbing on the bike, should you anticipate a trail run, how many buoys are in the water before you finish the swim? Not only will you ensure yourself a safer race but less accidents will occur if everyone was aware of their surrounding. Oh-and you can be like me and check the weather ahead of time. Gotta know which way the winds are going!

I hope this blog was useful. For triathlon veteran's this information is nothing new. But when more and more people are getting into triathlons, it is never to early to educate a friend who could be a future triathlete.

*I want to give my condolences to the friends and family of Joshua Kuck (USF Cycling team) who lost his life on sunday at the Hilly 100 ride. Karel was not far behind Josh before a truck hit Josh's rear bike wheel. While cyclists and triathletes are always risking their lives by doing something that they love, please be careful and safe when training.

Feeling Lazy

Lately I have been feeling lazy. I watch TV, read blogs, look at Ironman-related websites, I work on the couch (Thank goodness for my fabulous work with BeginnerTriathlete.com), I have no idea the temperature outside because I can't get off the couch and I am incredibly tired all the time (a 6 hour time change is no fun!). OH-and when I can limp my way to the kitchen, I eat. In order to convince myself that completing the Ironman World Championships validates that I can't use the "lazy" excuse for not wanting to get off the couch the week after the race, I thought I would recap my race. I am feeling much better and still carrying around a bad limp but at least I can still write and I can think clearly (well-sort of)..so here it goes.
5 weeks before the race I tried to finish a workout and suffered a horrible injury (hip bursitis and groin pain) which prevented me from running until the day of the race. Not just any race, the IRONMAN! I wouldn't advise a 5 week taper of no running, minimal cycling and lots of swimming. After 2 anti-inflammatory shots, 1 cortisone shot, a handful of meds and lots of stressful days and sleepless nights, I decided to go to Kona 24 hours before my plane left on Oct 6th! I'm sure my Blog readers were in suspense the week leading up to the race! I totally enjoyed the week before the race and I was honored to be among the best in the world. While my dream of going 10:30 was out of the question (I went 11:00.47 at IMFL and won the 18-24 age group) I was just hoping to finish the race. I was excited to start the race and wasn't very nervous. I just wanted to see what was going to happen. I had a PR in the swim (1:06) by 1 minute from IMFL (my first IM) and I had a decent bike considering I had 112 miles to convince myself I could run for the first time in 35 days. I was just proud I stayed on my bike on the decent from Havi! After the bike I just started running out of T2 and didn't stop. When I saw my mom on Ali (and for the first time she was running faster than me) I told her I was going to finish this race running but I will be slow. I stuck to 10-10:30 min miles for most of the race because that pace felt comfortable. I never bonked, felt tired or ran out of steam but my quads blew up at mile 16...probably cause I didn't run for so long! It was the steep climb on Palani (which seemed like my knees would hit the ground due to the incline) to the Queen K which really brought on the severe pain. The groin/hip hurt me the entire run but I tried not to think about it. I have no idea what I think about during the 26 miles of an Ironman run but for some reason I just do it. One foot in front of the other and the goal is to finish. I dumped ice down my zoot shorts at every aid station to try to take away some throbbing pain. With only 2 ibuprofen and 1 pain pain I had nothing but amazement as I rounded the corner for the last mile on alii drive. Tears came because I couldn't believe i was doing this and I almost didn't come due to my injury. A quarter of those tears were pain tears because the only point I thought about quitting was at mile 24 when I was about to head back into town. Oh I was hurting so bad and the last two declines before Ali were just awful. I remember a guy running past me on the Queen K around mile 22 or 23 and as he ran past me he tapped my shoulder and said "good job. We are almost there." I just thought "Please don't touch me. I WILL fall over if I don't keep one foot in front of the other" Yes-i was in that much pain and I because it was so dark on the Queen K I just hoped one foot would land in front of the other on even pavement. OK, back to the finish. Sadly, I didn't really enjoy the finish line because I was so concerned about someone catching me.Because well over 1200 athletes had come in before me I had the finish line all to myself!! How selfish of me! Everyone was cheering me on and after Mike announced my name I couldn't even pick up the pace to a 12 minute mile! Because I ran the entire run, I had no gait left when I reached the finish line. You can see on my finish line video that I am signaling to the volunteers to come and catch me. The last 2 miles I just wondered if someone would be there to catch me. That was my number 1 concern when I finished the race! But after 12 hours and 26 minutes I finished the Ironman World Championships. MY finish line video doesn't do me justice! It's not what you think..I was actually in a lot more pain that I look!!!! :) Although I spent a lot of time in the medical tent icing my pains away I was bothered that I didn't have a medal to wear around my neck. Because the amazing volunteers rushed me (well-carried me as I tried to walk) to the medical tent to get me off my legs, I never received my medal. So as I am laying on a bench, with ice all over my quads and kept asking everyone for my medal. "Where's my medal..I want my medal!!" I was nice about it and everyone was laughing "don't worry-we will get you your medal. You deserve it!" "You bet I deserve it!" I said. Finally, I was super proud to wear my medal and I can't wait to do it all again. Yes-I still love the Ironman and I hope to get back for 2008 through a 70.3 event. For now, I am resting myself to hopefully get better before the 70.3 World Championships to at least swim, bike and walk if I have to. If I can only swim and bike, no worries. Home turf so I have to do the Clearwater race! I am super satisfied to live out my dream of competing in Kona but hopefully next time I will be smiling with a little more excitement when I cross the kona finish line. A big thank you to zoot for making my race so comfortable. I felt great in my clothes! Also-Hammer nutrition (gels) saved me during my bike and run and I never felt a cramp or any sign of fatigue. A big thank you to everyone who emailed me, followed my blog and thought about me during my race. I also want to thank my webmaster-ray lake- who did an amazing job with my website! He is currently working on the 2008 updated site so stayed tuned! Also, thanks to BeginnerTriathlete and Ron who has offered me lots of projects to help me pay my way to Kona.
For those who know me and for those who don't, it is obvious i love triathlons. I can't tell you what it is like to do an Ironman but if you are someone who enjoys running or triathlons just think of your most memorable race (maybe your first race, your best finish or your hardest race) and multiply that thought by a million. Then you will know half of what it is like to finish the Ironman in Kona. Thank you again.

Lots of pics!

Enjoy!!! Keep checking the site this week, I'll have more pictures and posts coming...
http://www.flickr.com/gp/11883136@N03/1t3r77
http://www.flickr.com/gp/11883136@N03/GAx00i
http://www.flickr.com/gp/11883136@N03/xo3b4A

Ironman World Championship Race Report

3:30 am I was up and ready to start my long Ironman day. Since my parents were volunteering for body marking they were out the door before I even woke up. The coffee was ready and I started eating my breakfast. Oatmeal, a few nuts, banana, raisins, glass of milk w/ protein powder, waffle and a little PB. Plenty of water and a sports drink and I felt satisfied. I haven't been able to eat much lately so I felt like I ate enough to keep me full for the morning. Around 4:40 I was out the door to wait for the shuttle with my friend Peggy. Well, no shuttle after waiting for 10 minutes so we started walking. My hip/groin felt ok but I didn't want to overdo it with a 1.5 mile walk to the pier. Luckily, a car drove by and asked if we wanted a ride and we hoped in and headed to the pier. After waiting in a long line for our ages on our calves we finally made it into the body marking tent. I headed to the table for my number and I had my number stamped on my arm. With a number so big and an arm so small, I barely had enough room on my arm. My dad touched it up and I was ready to head to my bike. I pumped up my tires with my pump since I took some air out last night after I checked my bike in. After a brake check and water bottles in place, I was ready to head to the pier. After a quick phone call from Karel and a rub of sun tan lotion all over my back I headed to the water to get a good place for the start. After the pro's went off at 6:45am I slowly swam to the swim start only to tread water for 15 minutes. I had a good place in the front of the pack but the crowd kept getting bigger and bigger and I was being pushed around before we even started. I enjoyed looking at the scuba diver with the camera below me. I also spotted my parents on the pier so I gave them a couple smiles that i was ready to swim. The cannon went off and it was literally a washing machine for the entire race. Ever so often the pack would seperate but it wasn't an easy swim. I was kicked, hit, pushed and just ran over in the water but I kept going since I had to other choice. I tried counting bouys but by the time I was at 8 bouys we were at the boat turnaround and started heading back. I tried to pick up the pace but as the people in front of my got tired, I was again fighting a crowd to swim in between swimmers. Finally I made it back to the pier and I was extremely tired from the swim. I dropped a minute off my IMFL time and finished in 1:06!!! I didn't feel that I was out of shape but it was a rough swim and it took a lot out of me to swim through so many people. I didn't see too many females (orange caps) but when I did see a female I tried to stay close. Once i got out of the water I ran to get my bag and headed into the changing tent. As always, the volunteers were extremely nice and helpful and after stripping off my speed suit and bikini bottoms I was ready to go with my race top and bottoms. Helmet was on the bike so I put on my cycling shoes and ran to my bike. Helmet on and I was a bit nervous for the 112 mile bike ride. Excited, but nervous for the unexpected. The first 8 miles are around town and we make a loop around the town and an out and back on Kuakini for spectators to see. There is a big climb on palani before the Queen K and before I knew it I was making my way to Hawi (pronounced Havi). The wind never let up and it was windy the entire ride. There are a lot of climbs and descents but there is wind everywhere. I did reach speeds around 30-35 mph but you still have to pedal to get going on the descents. The course is far from easy or comfortable. Around mile 40 you make a left turn to Hawi. The beginning of this out and back 20 mile stretch has a lot of climbs. Small chain ring and speeds around 8 mph. A couple descents and then comes the 12 mile climb to Hawi. The crosswinds picked up and it was extremely windy. I have never experienced anything like this before and you can't explain how windy it was on your bike. Not only is it windy but you are climbing. Climbing out of your saddle, trying to stay hydrated and the sun is just shinning on your back. I was so hot for the entire ride and I poured so much water on me to keep myself cool. The nutrition went well but it was a task to try to take down a gel. I enjoyed my sport beans and cliff blocks and i also had some twizzlers to change things up. Once i made it to the top of Hawi I was ready for the 12 mile descent. However, I think the climb was more comfortable than the descent. At this point, the crosswinds were blowing so hard on my left side that I was literally leaning as much as possible to the left in order to not get blown off my bike. If i moved just one inch to the right I would probably fall off my bike. I was just praying that I wouldn't fall off my bike when an occasional car came by with a gust of extra wind to make things challenging. There was no way I could get aero and I was just holding on with all my strength to try not to fall off my bike. Not only were the winds a challenge but I am flying down around 30 mph. How bout scary for a little girl like me. Luckily, I have really been working on my bike skills and I trust my bike so I felt that I was confident with my bike handling skills. I wasn't concerned about my finishing time but I was hoping for around 6 hours but the last 30 miles were solid head winds. For some crazy reason I started to feel really good on my bike at this point and started to really push on the pedals to pick up the pace. Even though I was going 18-19 mph I was very aero as I was heading in the headwinds. There were a lot of climbs but I sat down and just hammered up the hill like a machine. I was passing so many people who were really struggling up the climbs in the wind so I felt really good about my climbing skills. I felt really strong on the climbs. Of course there weren't a lot of people to pass on the bike since I was finishing the bike in around 6 hours and 18 minutes but that's ok, I was happy that I survived the bike. Now it was the time to find out if I could finish this race. I wanted to run the entire run course and I had no idea how I would feel after the first couple miles. I had one pain pill around mile 3 and 2 ibuprofen around mile 13 other than that I was running off endorphins. The uphills were more comfortable on my hip than the flats and the downhills weren't too bad. I was hurting the whole run but I pulled through and didn't walk at all. I wanted to run the whole thing and I kept a smile on my face during the entire run. The run along Queen K was long and it felt like forever until i got to the natural energy lab. By that point it was starting to get darker but it was still extremely hot. The whole day was hot and windy. After the big climb on palani to get to the Queen K my quads starting burning. The next 5 or 6 miles to the Energy lab were big climbs and my groin pain was replaced by intense quad pain. I was not giving it and i just kept pushing my 10 minute per mile pace started to get a bit slower and after I briefly thought I would come in under 12 hours I had to slow down the pace to try to calm the pain. The 4 mile out and back in the energy lab was lonely and tough. The sun was going down and I knew i had 6 miles left after I got out of the energy lab. I grabbed a glow stick and kept on shuffling along. I took things mile by mile and I looked forward to every aid station to get some fluid and to grab so ice. The ice really helped my quads and after about mile 4 I would poor ice down my shorts in order to cool off my quads and right groin. The ice only lasted about 1/2 mile but it really kept me cool. I felt strong the entire race and even without running for 6 weeks (I wouldn't advise my injury training program to anyone who decides to run a marathon!!!) I didn't feel winded, tired or out of shape. I didn't even bonk. Although I wasn't pushing hard, I did find it hard to lift my feet off the ground during the last 2 miles. At one point I was running down Palani and because it was so steep of a downhill I tried to walk down the hill. Well, that didn't work cause if I tried to walk I was going to fall over. I had no choice but to continue with my "run". Haha-I would call it a shuffle rather than a run. The first half marathon was the best for me and even though I was hurting, I still felt strong with a good stride. The last mile was tough and I just couldn't wait to finish. The run along Ali drive was remarkable cause everyone was cheering for me. Because 1200+ peope had finished before me I was all alone as I ran down the finishing chute. After mike reiley announced my name I knew it was time for me to finish this race. I had no doubts about not finishing the race but the pain was so intense that I didn't know how I would stand after the race. After many cheers and applauds for my effort of getting down Ali drive, I felt so honored to be among the best in the world. Even if I wasn't at my best, I knew i belonged here and people were cheering so loud for me. I started crying with about 400 yards to go that I was just so amazed that I made it. So I know I looked just awful when I crossed the finish line and I felt just horrible but I was so shocked that I finished the race. 1 month ago I couldn't even stand without pain and I didn't think I would be at the starting line for the race. Even though I was carried off to the medical tent for the next hour after the race (just ice and stretching to help my quads and groin) I was so proud to wear my medal. I also got a pretty lay and a finisher shirt. So later that night I finished my day with 2 pieces of pizza but it was hard to get anything else in my tummy. I tried to drink but I was in so much pain that all i wanted to do was to crash on my couch. After waiting until my dad got the car (what would I do without my parents), I was carried on a stretcher to the street so I could get in the car. I know it sounds bad but I just couldn't put any pressure on my right leg. I was enjoying my catered ride throughout the streets :)
I am slowly getting better and even though I can't walk, the pain isn't as bad as it was 6 weeks ago. It is all in one area which makes it hard to stand and walk. I want to thank everyone for their support and enthusiasm. This was the hardest race of my life! I have no idea how I finished this race in so much pain but I think I was digging deep in order to prove that when you really put your mind to something, anything is possible. I did it!!! Ironman World Championship 2007 Finisher!!!!

Night before Ironman World Championships

Bike check-in was exciting! The line went quickly but you had to go through so many people in order to actually make it in the transition area. First there was the helmet check, then the bag check (bike and run bags), then the bar ends, brakes and anything else. It was so cool to have spectators around for the bike check. There was a white fence surrounding the athletes from the crowd and before we got into the transition area there were "counters" for all the websites to see who has the official bike count for the Ironman. I had a couple pics of my bike (she's worthy of it!) and I was proud to be accompanying seduza into the transition area. After I got into transition, I ran into my parents and my mom walked me to my rack. I'm so lucky to have a blood-related volunteer. Hehe. After placing my rear back tire into the wooden rack I dropped off my bags. My bike placement is in the very back of the transition area but that's ok. We all have to go the same way. I re-rehearsed the swim to bike and bike to run since the changing tents are after you grab your bags from the rack. Once it was time to leave I felt more anxious to get things going. Not sure how my hip will hold up but I'm not feeling any pain. Just a bit uncomfortable. So I guess after I survive the bike (which will be incredibly hard) I will have to gather enough mental strength to get over the big hill on palani to start my 26.2 mile run.
I just finished dinner (a little later than I planned cause I just wasn't hungry) and I had my normal sweet potato and bread (outback replica). I added in a couple egg whites and tomato and I am ready for bed! The alarm is set for 3:45am and I will be heading to the race at 4:40am. Race starts at 7am and I'm sure I will enjoy the body marking with the stamps. Not sure who will be featured on the live video aside from the pro's but for those who are watching for me I will be wearing a white Zoot top (w/ Zoot in light green across the front) and black shorts with a light green strip on the sides. My lucky pink helmet for the bike and you can't miss the sexy Seduza that I will riding. Race number #1787 and I'm in the 25-29 age group.Check Ironman.com for all the race details. Remember the 6 hour earlier time change. I have no expected finishing time but to simpy finish. I feel like I can have a strong swim under 1:10 but I am not sure how hard I will be kicked during the swim and how many times I will get ran over by the men (and fast women) that I will be starting with in the front of the pack. As far as the bike, I would hope that I will be around 5:45 (since I was training for 5:30) but the winds and climbs will be tough. I don't think my hip will hurt me for the bike but the heat will also be another factor. AS far as the run, I hope to run. No goal time just a nice and comfortable pace that I can hold for the marathon. Can't wait to finish and eat a yummy piece of pizza! Oh and ice cream. And pancakes on sunday morning!!!
I want to thank everyone for putting up with my through my entire Ironman Training season and especially during the last month with my injury. I want to give a special thanks to Matt Hess, Hunter Orr, the Swim Fit Palm Harbor swim team, my YMCA spin class, the Gearlink cycling team, Mike Baleno, Carlos Salinas, my Beginner Triathlete friends, Ron (BT), Celia Dubey, Christi Cranford, Roberta Klar, Ray Reinders, Angela B. (BT) and my graduate school friends (meag, Kori, Meri). I also want to give a very VERY special thanks to my family (mom, dad and aaron) for putting up with me and my crazy habits and routines. For never doubting my ambitions and for always believing in me even when I didn't believe in myself. I thank my family for encouraging me to pursue my goals even though many of my goals seem like dreams to most people. I appreciate their support, enthusiasm and I don't know how they put up with me with all my ups and downs during my Ironman training. I've completely dedicated my life to this race over the past year and my family, grandparents, relatives and friends have supported me and encouraged me to work towards my dream. My dream is finally here and I will be living out this fantasy tomorrow. October 13th, 2007 will be a day I will never forget and I can't wait to get to the finish line and say that I did it. That finish line means more to me than anything I have ever done.
And if you thought I forgot...KAREL!!! What would I do without Karel. Not only does he put up with me day after day (some days seem longer than he would like with me :) but he supports me. He lets me be me and I love him so much for that. He makes me laugh, he understands what I go through with my training and racing and he encourages me to reach my dreams. Not sure if he gets the vegetarian thing but I know he secretly enjoys the veggie meat in the fridge! I met Karel before I was an Ironman and I was so worried that he wouldn't understand my passion for triathlons. Not only does he understand my love for triathlons (well, kinda- hehe) but he supports my drive and ambitions for swimming, cycling and running. I would not be the cyclist I am now without him and my bike wouldn't look so gosh darn sexy without him. I would not have met all my friends on the Gearlink cycling team and because of him I appreciate cycling so much. I think he is an amazing cyclist and I love him because of his drive, ambition and passion for cycling.
Well-I better get off to bed. Time to settle down, rehearse the race course and mentally prepare myself for the hardest endurance event in triathlons. Can't wait to give the race report!
Thanks everyone for the emails! Very encouraging and I appreciate the time for thinking of me. Enjoy the race coverage on Ironman.com. and I can't wait to hear who wins!

Day before Ironman World Championships

Well, the time has come. It is now time to officially start freaking out!!! The energy is buiding on this island and you can tell people are getting into a zone. Thursday morning was the underpants run and since i am a virgin to this race, I caught just the end of the run. however, I did get a pic with Sarah Reinstein who is such an inspiration. I cried when I saw her finish the Ironman in 2005 as a single leg above the knee amputee. This year I will be cheering on Scott Rigsby who is a double below the knee amputee. MY parents have been volunteering like crazy and I hardly see them. Maybe they are trying to avoid me and my stressing-out episodes but they are really enjoying being part of the action! Not only are my parents my #1 fans but they really enjoy being at triathons. Of course my mom thinks this race is a little too big for her. She likes races with around 100 people. I guess 1800 athletes, 5000 volunteers and over 20,000 spectators is a bit much for her. The carbo dinner was amazing and the videos, Hawaii island performances, speaches, jokes by Mike Riley and huge athlete turnout really got me excited. By the next morning, the excitement turned to nervousness. I rode the in-town bike course once again and I feel good on the bike. Excited to swim hard and I just want to get this going. I am not so much nervous for the distance as I am nervous for the unexpected. How will my body handle everything with my past injury, how will I handle the 12 mile climb to Havi in wind gusts of 30-60 mph and how will I run a marathon after everything I've been through on the course. So much unknown but I guess that is what makes the Ironman. I will take my time and I will try to run slow rather than walk. Since I'm not in pain anymore, I just need to deal with the up and downs of the run course and the ups and downs of not feeling comfortable when I run. I'm hoping for a good dosage of endorphins as I am running and I hope that I can really enjoy myself as much as possible. I do know that when I am getting towards the finish line (not finishing is not an option!), regardless of the time (12 hours or 16+ hours), I will fully soak in the excitement of running down Ali with thousands of people cheering for me and all the other athletes. I will enjoy that moment and for the 1/4 mile I am running on Ali Drive I will think about everything I have been through, everyone who has supported me and everything about myself that I doubted before I started this race. I will be writing another blog later today in order to give out my thanks and shoutouts to all those who have supported me during my Ironman training. I'm just finishing going through my list of stuff for the race in about an hour I will be heading down to transition to drop of Seduza and to hang my bags.
I can't believe I am counting down the hours to the Ironman World Championships. This is just amazing and I can't believe I am here!

Meet my Ironman friends!

href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_q0AmDQEBvpc/Rwxlla3LcnI/AAAAAAAAAJA/SWYwhn8j6-w/s1600-h/October+9+019.JPG">

You may have heard of some of my friends....Natasha Badman, Dave Scott, Kate Major, Michelle Jones and Sister Madonna. I had such a great time at the parade tonight. It all started when I ran into Natasha in the host hotel. I was heading to the bathroom and there she was. All the pro's are so nice! I also saw Sarah Reinstein but I didn't get a pic with her. The parade was lots of fun and i will post a link to those pics soon. The athlete village was open and it was just jammed packed with vendors, partners and other sponsors. It was then when I was getting picture happy. Of course it is so much better when you just bump into the pros and you don't have to wait in line.

More pics! http://www.flickr.com/photos/11883136@N03/sets/72157602348874954

Good morning from Kona!

Just a couple shots from outside my condo this morning. Slept-in until 5am and felt refreshed after 9 hours of sleeping. Still a little off from Kona time but I've got a couple more days to get adjusted to the 6 hours.

Last night I did nothing and yesterday afternoon I did nothing. It was great! Just watch TV, iced and heated and played around on the computer. Cooked a nice dinner before a litte more tv watching and called it a night. It was really good to just veg out and forget about the race. I woke up this morning and my leg was just a bit sore. It is not getting any worse and each day it gets better. It actually feels a lot better when I have my cycling shorts on (compression helps) and running shoes on. I think my leg just wants to run! No pain pills since Sat after the flight so I am happy that the celebrex is doing its job. I know I keep talking about the "pain" that I am in, but I am such a wuss when it comes to pain. I don't hurt when I train (a big difference from muscles being sore and just pain), I don't feel uncomfortable when I race and recover quick. This injury has taught me that there are so many people out there who just pull through when times get tough. I won't hurt myself any more than I already have (inflammation) but I know I will be sore afterwards. I know come sat. I will be filled with adrenaline and ready to get this thing going. I hope to enjoy my day and just think that this is the day I've been waiting for all year! In a couple hours I will head to the pier to pick up my packet at the host hotel. How exciting! I'm sure I will have lots of pics after today.

Thanks everyone for the emails..I keep all of them and re-read them everyday!

Pictures!

Enjoy!
http://www.flickr.com/gp/11883136@N03/g9KX6J

Kona Day 1

I'm officially here. I'm unpacked, I've had a taste of the water and I've riden the Queen K. I kinda ran (yep-I can kinda run, more like a shuffle) around our parking lot and shopped along Ali drive. Yes-I know I am an Ironman athlete but I look like everyone else. Pro's I saw today- Norman Stadler at the pier before my swim this morning and I think I saw Michelle biking and Kate Major running. This morning my dad ran the PATH fun run. Well, it was supposed to be fun but he thought it was a bit competitive to be fun. In order for my dad to say he raced in kona, he decided to push it for a 5K. Congrats to my dad-what a runner he is!!! With a fast time of 27 minutes and a 2nd place age group finish, my dad walked away with a hand-made medal and Kona coffee as an award. I'm so proud of my dad!!! My mom did her share of walking since she accompanied me to the pier so I could drop off my gear as I swam and she walked back to the race to watch my dad start. The swim was just great! I love open water swimming and I could just clear my head as I swam for 25 minutes in the ocean. The water was a little cool as I started and didn't really get warm the entire swim. That is a great thing cause I don't like swimming in warm water. I will try out my zoot speedsuit tomorrow. After 15 minutes of swimming I decided to push it on the way back and I was in great company with a gazillion other triathlets. The water is so clear you can see right to the Kona floor. I was also in great company with all the fishes in the water and I remembered why I love triathlons so much. With this injury I really lost my drive and passion for triathlons and I even questioned my dream of racing as a pro. But today in the water I realized why I love it so much. It isn't for the competition (well-maybe a little), it is because I really enjoy swimming, cycling and running. After I swam I headed back to the condo with my parents and rested for a bit as I ate breakfast. About 2 hours later I was on the bike heading along Ali drive, to Palani to the Queen K. Wow-my first ride on the queen K. I felt good on the bike but I can't really push too hard cause of the hip. On race day, I give it my all. Today I wanted to see the course and enjoy the scenery. As I biked past the entrance to the Natural Energy Lab where we run, I really felt like there was nothing that would stop me come race day. The lava on my right was unreal and the white rocks which spell out the names of athletes was just like what I see on TV. On my left was the water and as I passed the airport the wind was clearly at my back. The lava was on both sides of me and I was heading up and down some rollers. Had a coulple light drizzles from some clouds and I knew that anything is possible on this island. Who knows what the Kona gods will bring to the athletes come race day! There were lots of people riding on the Queen K and it wasn't soon after I hit 32 mph going downhill that I looked at my mileage and I was already at 16 miles. I decided to turn around and face those winds that were graciously pushing me and seduza up and down the hills. I felt ok with the side winds but it is funny how the winds change every couple miles. At one point I was going on what I thought was downhill and I had to shift up to a lighter gear in order to pick up my 18 mph speed. Funny how you can struggle going downhill in kona. Once I arrived back on Ali drive I found myself relaxed and enjoying the moment. Again-athletes everywhere! The next couple of hours went by fast before we headed down to town for some shopping and dinner.
I want to congratulate Karel for his last race of the year! With a great finish yesterday in the Pro 1,2 race, he showed his "ironman" strength and completed two races this morning. With around 130 miles completed this morning and a 5th place finish in the 30+ division and 19th in the Pro 1,2 race I am always impressed with karel. With the thought of not even racing today because yesterdays (sat) race was so hot and exhausting, he comes back and races two races. What an inspiration. I am always inspired by people who make no excuses when they race or train. Of course we all have excuses but it is truely a test of the soul to push hard when the mind, body or both want to quit. Through every person that I have met (and not met) in my life, who has showed determination and strength to reach their goals, I will be thinking of YOU on saturday as I try to do the same.

I'm in KONA!!!!

This is just crazy. I mean, absolutely crazy!! Just in case you were wondering about the hip, I feel better and I can kinda run. Actually, running slow is a lot easier than walking due to the shortening of my gait if I "run". So, looks like I will have to dig really deep to finish this race with my "healing" injury...or, just don't walk!

Ok-now to the exciting stuff. Who cares about the hip when I am in Kona! Let me talk about my long trip here. The flight left early (7:40am) so therefore, my family, luggage and bike needed to get to the airport super early. I was up at 4:40 am and we were heading to the airport and I just couldn't believe that 12 hours earlier I was packing up my bike for a last minute decision to go to Kona. I saw a couple Ironman people on my first flight to Arizona but it wasn't until I arrived in Phoenix that I was overwhelmed and just amazed by the number of athletes. I felt sorry for the vacationers on the Kona flight cause with all those triathletes, I'm sure the plane was a little heavy with bike cases. Well, then again, I think triathletes with less than 10% body fat easily make up that weight difference!!! There were m-dots, ironman schwag and lots of shaved legs. In addition to a starbucks coffee cup in a hand, it is really easy to spot out the triathletes on the airplane. I talked with a couple people but I mostly kept to myself and listened to others. I felt like the Ironman Kona virgin that I am and I was just honored that I could be on the plane with everyone. It is funny how you can feel so good about your body, health and fitness on an airplane full of semi-active and sedentary people as you proudly wear a race t-shirt after a race or some type of schwag from a race that you did earlier this year, but it isn't until you get on a plane full of Ironman World Championship triathletes that you feel completely out of shape!!! This is so freakin' crazy!!! It was so amazing flying over the big island. First you see the dry part of the island and then the rainforest and then comes the lava. So cool looking!! Once we landed it really hit me that I was here and boy was I living it up! Pictures every five seconds and once my luggage and bike came, it all became so exciting. We headed to the condo in our rental car and even with 1 week until the race, there were athletes everywhere!!! People riding w/ aero helmets and race wheels on the Queen K and Ali drive was filled with runners (boo hoo!!!). That's ok-I'll be running (with no other choice and an incentive to run) plenty come October 13th! Our condo is about 1.5 miles from the athlete village and about 2 miles from the pier. This is just crazy! It was never a dream for me to do an Ironman. It was just something I wanted to do. The dream was to do Kona! I remember watching Ironman DVD's for the first time in 2005 before my first half ironman and just thinking how cool it was...the Ironman World Championship! So much history and fame on that island and it is where the best Ironman triathletes compete. I was just getting into triathlons at that time and I knew that I wanted to race in Kona. I didn't know when I would get there but I was super excited to work my way to get to that island. I just can't express how honored I am that I am here. And now that I am here, forget the injury! I am so super excited to be here...and be one of them. I don't feel any more special than the other athletes but I just feel special that I can be one of the athletes. The condo is just beautiful and we have a great view of the ocean. We got a couple grocery's at Wal-Mart and had a light dinner. I tried to staying up as late as i could last night but it wasn't that hard after we arrived and I was super psyched to be here. I went to bed around 7:30 pm kona time and woke up around 5:30am Kona time. 10 hours of sleep isn't so bad, considering I've lost a lot of hours of sleep due to all the stress the last couple of weeks.
So-that's about it. Of course I'm writing this blog after a morning of swimming by the pier but I will save that blog until later. I'll watch a little of Ironman USA on versus right now (10am Kona time) to get my adrenaline pumping (all Ironman races get me excited) and then I'm off to ride my bike. Taking it easy today and riding on the flat parts of the Queen K. I plan on doing around 30 miles by myself but I'm sure I'll be in company with lots of other triathletes.

I'm Going!

This is so crazy! I can't believe I am going to the Ironman World Championships tomorrow morning! My flight leaves around 7am. I am all packed and I am about to pack up the bike. Well..Karel is about to pack up my bike :) Lucky me! I will keep my blog updated as much as possible. Lots of pics for sure! Thanks everyone for your kind words and support. This has been an awful month because of my injury and I never imagined going into the world championships on the injured list. I am truely honored to compete and I hope to finish the race with a grateful smile on my face. I am happy that I received so many nice emails and phone calls from people who encouraged me to go to the race and give it my best. I have a great tri-family support group out there! But I find it funny that soooo many people encourage me to compete so that they can watch the race on the computer, enjoying some pancakes or pizza (Depending on what time you are watching the race on Ironmanlive.com) with feet up on a couch, after a morning of running for an hour or doing an easy 3 hour bike ride with friends (or perhaps a ultra run or century ride for some) that they did after they slept in a couple hours. Yeah..so I am doing a freakin' Ironman that EVERYONE convinced me to do, let alone I was in pain for 5 weeks, doing lots of swimming and cycling and NO running, with hip bursitis and a bunch of other inflammation problems, ONLY for you to watch me on the computer as I participate in the hardest Ironman!!! NOT FAIR!!! hehe-only kidding. I Feel so lucky to have so many followers who support me no matter what time I finish. I know I would do the same thing (and have in the past) when i know someone who is racing an Ironman. I Can't tell you how many refresh icons i have pushed during a sat/sun Ironman or Half Ironman in order to follow my friends for races :) Thanks everyone!!!!

Racing through an Injury????

As I sat on my couch contemplating what to do with my Kona dream I thought it would be easier to express myself through writing (something I love more than talking!). As you can tell, this last month has been just devestating. All that training and in one weekend I saw my dream disappear. More frustrated about the money I spent for the trip (not fun spending money for nothing), but just bummed that I have been forced to make a decision if I would go to Kona. I thought I made that decision on November 5th, 2006 when I won my age group at IMFL. Was I ever happy when I saw my name above that red line...I couldn't tell you how excited I was to give my $470 check to Heather Fuhr in that black Kona-qualifier tent after the race. And now, almost a year later I can't even read a forum about Kona without being bummed. With the hope that my injury would go away after a couple weeks, it has now been 1 month since I was able to run without pain. Although I can ride and swim without pain, I am still walking around on egg shells with the right leg. Always careful not to put too much pressure on the leg since I have been in-and-out of pain for the past week. I tried not to take my pain killers (Ultram/Tramadol) since I was experiencing awful side effects and it is no fun just masking the pain. After a clean MRI and x-ray (I am proud that I have nice and healthy vertabrae and bones!), my wonderful Doctor (Dr.Gruber at Florida Spine Institute) has diagnosed me with bursitis. He palpated towards my groin area and once he localized the spot, I couldn't believe how much pain I felt in that one area. After many PT, massage, Doc visits and meds, I am now forced to decide (by tomorrow!) if I am going to go to kona. After everything I've been through I am just tired of everything. I am not giving up on my Kona dream or ambitions to race professionally, but my drive for training has dwindled and all I want to do is get better. I have no idea how people race through injuries or pain and although we all seem to "pull through" a race now and then, I couldn't imagine standing on the starting line injured. I can admit that I have finished a running or tri race w/ ITband pain or plantar fascitis but everything I experience after a race occurs during the race. Thank goodness for endorphins. I am blessed that I have finished most of my races with hardly any pain (well-being tired is usually what I feel) and I can usually bounce right back after a hard training session or hard race. For those who strap, brance and wrap an injured part before a race and "hope for the best" I just don't know how you do it. And for those who train consistently through pain and keep their goals high with a pride of finishing their A-race, I just don't see the fun of training through pain. I'm not bashing those who train through pain but I've always felt that I want to train..not just get through the training session. I truely find joy in training and feel accomplished after I put in a good X-hour bike ride or X-hour long run. Through months of training, I love seeing myself grow as an athlete and develop into a stronger person. And now as I question if I could really go to Kona and just swim and bike, I wonder if I have the mental strength to do that. I can honestly say that I don't. I have no desire to just swim and bike. I want to experience it all. The nerves, anticipation, excitment of Kona. The 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and 26.2 mile run seem so daughting to most people and to do it in Kona is an accomplishment of the best. For others, it is a dream to aspire for, just to get to the starting line in kona. And to stand on the Kona floor wondering if I could stand in T2 after a strong swim and run would just make me so angry that I couldn't experience it all. I'd rather sit at my computer all day and watch everyone race in Kona. Of course I would be sad and I know the next week will be tough (and weeks after when I hear of race reports from Kona), but I rather be in Kona on the prepared list, not on the injured list. Although I do have Clearwater 70.3 in a month, I question if I should stop my season now and just rest my body to the extreme. Of course I wouldn't be able to "rest" very long, but without the mindset of training, swimming and biking are very enjoyable activities. Plus, with Karel's season coming to an end, I look forward to staying active with karel by strength training, swimming and road biking. I am not 100% that I am not going but my parents have decided that they will go and enjoy Kona as a vacation. Perhaps I will come back next year as a stronger, wiser and healthier athlete but this experience has showed me that no sport is fun when you are injured. I guess even when you aren't racing as a Pro and still find it devestating to be on the injured list you really do have a passion for what it is you train for. I have today to decide if I will go to Kona but from what I have been dealing with for the past week, I feel I am ready for a break from all this stress. Funny-I was so stress-free when I was training for the Ironman!!!

I do want to add that I am trying to get through this with a smile on my face. Although it is hard and I've been keeping quite with those in the tri-community, I do appreciate everyone for their support, help, encouragement, wisdom and individual training stories. I love hearing about others training, even if it is a proud 1 hour run for the first time, a continuous 1 mile swim for the first time or a first ever 4-hour ride in the saddle with an incredibly sore bum. I am really thankful to have such wonderful friends who care so much about my success in the sport. I love sharing my passion for triathlons and I know I will get through this injury with a better understanding of why I love to call myself a triathlete.

The decision is made

Warning: Some material may not be suitable for those who are obsessed with triathlons, Ironmans or Kona.

I can honestly say that I have never felt more stress, emotions and sadness in my life than I have in the last 4 weeks. Perhaps there were some times in Graduate school where I felt more stress, but as of September 7th I have experienced ever emotion possible. I haven't been too open about my time off from running since Sept 7th nor have I discussed the extent of my injury. From being diagnosed from piriformis syndrome to iliopsoas syndrome I have been in extreme pain for the past 4 weeks. Ok, so 4 weeks isn't that long for an injury to play its course but with my flight to Kona leaving on Saturday October 6th (5 days!!!) I have been extremely pressed for time. After MANY doctor appoitments, shots, MRI's and X-rays, medications, massages, PT appoitments, Stretching sessions and great advice from friends I can finally be proud of my decision to go to Kona. So, I'm a little worried that I haven't been able to run in the last 4 weeks and I am still in a bit of pain but I am getting better everyday. Aqua jogging has been great for keeping up my fitness for running and I am swimming and cycling extremely strong! Maybe I needed the rest to my body and although I didn't appreciate the 5 1/2 week running taper, I think I did my body a good thing by resting as much as possible and taking things slow with swimming and cycling. I did not plan for the extra expenses for all the medical stuff, but I feel very fortunante that I am able to participate in kona. So I may not have my ideal race but I am still able to live out my dream of racing in kona. If I would have written on my blog last week, I was 99% certain I would be passing up Kona and hoping for a slot at a 70.3 kona qualifier race in 2008. Although I wasn't always positive with my decision to pass up Kona, I was trying to get myself better as quick as possible without being stubborn to push through the pain to keep up my training fitness. I want to have a pain-free race in Kona (well-it is the Ironman so semi-pain free) but I know the run is going to be a challenge. Not too worried about my endurance but it will take a lot for me to get through this run with pain. My ultimate goal is to finish the race and although I wouldn't want to walk 26.2 miles, I understand that there is always a chance that I could hurt during the bike and not be able to run at all. I will be in no rush to finish the race and I really want to enjoy my experience. I have had great support from friends and family and I know I haven't been the best friend to a lot of people lately. I've had so much on my mind and this was a very tough decision. Although everything happens for a reason, this injury happened to unexpectedly that I didn't know how to accept the fact that I might not be able to race in Kona. Some people suggested that I pass on Kona and just heal for the 70.3 World Championships (Which I qualified for in May at 70.3 IMFL). But all this summer I considered myself an Ironman athlete. I was simply going to participate in Clearwater in hopes of being able to complete two World Championships in one year, with my A-race being Kona and to race the event in hawaii. After weeks of crying and being sad and trying to come to terms with not being able to experience Kona, I decided that although it felt like the end of the world for me, I was just so upset that I wasn't able to experience the Ironman World Championship. I forgot about all my racining time goals, all the time and money I put into this one event and I forgot about all the pressure I had put on myself to drop a tremendous amount of time. Now that I am waking up each morning a little less sore and finishing the day with minimal pain in my right upper leg, I feel incredibly lucky that I am able to participate in Kona. For finishing this race will be the ultimate dream for me and perhaps one day I will be able to compete in Kona. This time, however, I am blessed to be among the best and enjoy this experience to the fullest.